EXITCYCLE: QLD emergency lighting battery recycling trial launched

Released: 26-Oct-2015

Nickel cadmium (NiCD), Nickel Metal Hydride (NI MH) & Sealed lead acid (SLA) battery recycling is now on trial in Queensland for 12 months under a
new EXITCYCLE partnership between the Queensland Government and the Lighting Council of Australia following the launch by the Queensland Minister for
Environment and Heritage Protection, the Hon Dr Steven Miles.

Emergency and exit lighting is used in a wide range of commercial and industrial buildings. Almost all rely on batteries for back-up power.

The Lighting Council of Australia, the peak body representing lighting manufacturers, suppliers, hopes to migrate the pilot scheme to a fully-fledged
national voluntary recycling program at the end of the 12 month trial.

According to the Lighting Council’s CEO, Bryan Douglas around five million nickel cadmium batteries are sent to landfill in Australia each year, which
equates to some 90,000 kg of cadmium’, he said.

‘When it comes to heavy metals most attention is focused on mercury. However it should be remembered that in most respects cadmium rivals mercury in its
toxicity and potential harm to human health and the environment’, Mr Douglas said.

EXITCYCLE will operate along similar lines to the successful FluoroCycle program run by Lighting Council Australia to recycle mercury-containing lamps.

Queensland private and government sector organisations such as shopping centres, offices, universities, sporting venues, ports, airports, hospitals, manufacturing
plants, industrial sites and local government are encouraged to become Commercial User Signatories under the scheme.

Electrical contractors, emergency lighting and fire companies, battery recyclers and collectors are encouraged to sign up to the scheme as Facilitators.

The Two QLD battery recyclers operating the trial are CMA Ecocycle and MRI E-cycle solutions.

What does this mean for enLighten customers in QLD?

enLighten Australia is a commercial collector under the Fluorocycle scheme in NSW and welcomes the announcement. Tony Arhanic, QLD Sales Executive will
actively encourage our installation partners in Queensland to sign up for the EXITCYCLE trial and commit to recycle all their end-of-life emergency
and exit lighting batteries extracted from site in lighting retrofits.